Archontophoenix cunninghamiana (H.Wendl.) H.Wendl. & Drude

Arecaceae

Wendland, H.A. & Drude, C.G.O. (1875) Linnaea 39: 214. Type: .

Picabbean palm; Bangalow palm

Palm to 30 m tall with a trunk 30 cm DBH, slightly enlarged at the base, becoming fissured with age. Leaf scars prominent.

Leaves 9-12, up to 4.5 m long, with a moderate lateral twist, with 70-90 pinnae per side. Crownshaft to 70-140 cm long, tapered, dark-green, brown-green or purple-green. Petiole up to 50 cm long, with rust red-brown scales. Pinnae up to 100 x 3-10 cm, rigid becoming lax and semi-pendulous with age, dark glossy green on upper surface and lighter green on under surface. Midrib and veins not as prominent on both surfaces.

Inflorescence 150 x 60 cm, axes yellow green, white or cream changing to light green or mauve in fruit. Prophyll 50-60 x 12 cm, dark green with black scales. Peduncular bract to 58 cm, thin, papery, mildly fibrous. Peduncle up to 15 x 5-7 cm, yellow-green. Rachis to 60 x 3.5 cm and 2 cm thick. Staminate (male) flowers paired at the front part. Flowers lilac to purple. Staminate flowers 3-6 x 1.5-3 mm in bud opening to 7-11 mm. Sepals to 1-1.5 mm long. Petals 4-4.5 x 2-3 mm. Stamens 9-18 with purple filaments. Pistillate (female) flower up to 4-5 x 3-4 mm in bud. Flowers light green to purple. Stigma to 1 mm long.

Fruit ovoid/globose and 10-15 long and bright red at maturity, smooth and waxy. Stigmatic remains at the apex. Persistent calyx up to 3 mm long. Mesocarp fibres up to 1 mm wide, flat and branched and moderately loose in the dried state. Seed globose and up to 9 mm diameter.

Features not available.

Occurs in the far south of NEQ and CEQ and south to south-eastern New South Wales. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 1200 m. Grows in rainforest, vine forest, swampy areas and wet sclerophyll forest.

Loroma cunninghamiana (H.Wendl.) O.F.Cook, Journal of the Washington Academy of Sciences 5: 118(1915), Type: . Ptychosperma cunninghamiana H.Wendl., Botanische Zeitung 16: 346(1858), Type: In tropischen Neuholland an der Nord-und Ostküste, Allan Cunningham [NE Coast of New Holland, Allan Cunningham].